Search Results for: blog flea allergies

Pets Have Allergies Too

It’s that time of year: my car, porch, deck, and even some of my plants, are covered in a yellow dust. Pollen season is upon us, and for many unfortunates that means it’s time to suffer through allergies. As is true with many things, humans aren’t the only ones that might be affected by the dreaded plant powder. All this past week my dog has come in with her snout, muzzle, and sometimes even her eyes, covered in pollen. She didn’t seem any different than normal, however, which leads me to believe that despite her many itching problems pollen is … Continue reading →

Ask a Pets Blogger: Helping Pets with Flaky Skin

My cat has terrible dandruff… at least I think it’s dandruff! She’s always got flakes on her skin and in her coat. What can I do to clear this up? This is a conversation I get to have often at the cats-only boarding facility where I work. As part of our check-in process, we give each cat a quick brushing with a very fine-toothed comb. Our goal is to check for fleas, but we often end up talking to owners about skin and coat care… and dandruff. Dry skin can be a seasonal problem, especially in the winter months when … Continue reading →

Ask a Pets Blogger: Why Flea and Tick Prevention Fails

I treat my cat regularly with Advantage, but she keeps turning up with fleas! Why won’t they go away? You’re not alone with this problem — flea and tick management can be a constant battle. Here are some things that might help turn the tide in your favor. Make sure you are applying the medication correctly. The liquid needs to go on the skin, not on the fur — hair won’t absorb the medication. Make sure you place the medication in a place your pet can’t reach to lick off. Be sure to apply ALL the medication! Make sure your … Continue reading →

Treating Your Home and Yard for Fleas and Ticks

Most of the time, treating your pets for fleas and ticks with a monthly preventative is enough to keep an infestation out of your home and yard. Most of the time. If the critters are out of control, you may have to take action to evict fleas and ticks from your home. This doesn’t mean you should stop the monthly flea and tick preventative for your pets, either! The absolute best way to keep fleas and ticks off your pets (and out of your house) is to use a preventative all year round. In some areas, where winter temperatures drop … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Fleeing Fleas

Not all guests who come to the cats only boarding facility are indoor cats. Some are allowed to roam the “big blue room” once in a while; some spend the majority of their time outdoors and only show up for meals and bedtime. Not that fleas are solely a problem of outdoor cats — far from it. Fleas can get into your house (and onto your pets) even if your furry family never sets a paw outside the door. One thing we don’t want at the boarding facility is for a guest to catch a case of critters while they … Continue reading →

Flea and Tick Prevention Options for Pets with Sensitive Skin

I mentioned recently that Lally seems to be having trouble with a new flea and tick preventative we tried. Hopefully we won’t have any more skin problems if I switch back to Frontline… but I wonder if she’s just getting more allergic as she ages. That got me thinking about alternatives to the insecticide-medication-on-the-skin type of flea and tick prevention. Traditional flea and tick collars. You might remember the narrow white collars that dogs and cats used to wear before medications like Frontline and Sentinel came along? Since the medication doesn’t get soaked into the skin, it might be an … Continue reading →

Spring Proofing Your Pet: Allergies

Spring brings a lot with it, like warmer weather, blooming flowers, and spring cleaning. But just as people suffer from springtime allergies, so do pets. Below are the most common irritants pets suffer from at this time of year, along with tips for reducing their discomfort. Pollen The attack of itchy eyes and runny noses plague humans allergic to pollen. Pets get the itchies too –in the form of itchy skin that is. There are lots of ways to treat the itchies, such as: • With supplements to ease them (e.g. fatty acids or vitamin A and E oils). • … Continue reading →

Flea Allergies

Flea bite allergy, also known as flea allergy dermatitis or bite hypersensitivity, is a seasonal allergy. The worst times of year for dogs and cats with flea bite allergies is the summer and fall — peak flea times. Even in temperate areas, summer and fall seem to be worse than the rest of the year for flea bite allergies. Flea saliva contains more than fifteen different potential allergens. Any or all of these can cause an allergic reaction in a sensitive dog or cat. Once a pet develops a sensitivity to flea bites, it is rare for them to stop … Continue reading →

Saving Money on Frontline

This week it was time to buy more Frontline medication. I like to buy in bulk, as long as I can be assured that the meds won’t expire before the year is out. I selected 12-month packs of feline and canine Frontline and put them in my virtual shopping cart, and then was amazed at the price. $300? That seems like way more than I’ve ever paid for it before. When my husband came home, I asked him about it. Did he remember their flea/tick medicine costing this much, because I didn’t. He said no, although it was maybe $200 … Continue reading →

Some Pets Help Sell Homes

The New York Times recently posted an interesting article relating to pets, one that the story itself acknowledges contradicts popular assumed wisdom: pets help sell homes. Normally one would assume that leaving pets in a house or apartment while it’s toured by prospective buyers is a bad idea, because who knows how potential buyers feel about animals? To an extent that will always be true. People touring the house might have severe pet allergies or phobias. Some pets might be ill-behaved, following the tour around the house, making noise, and perhaps even trying to jump on people. Certain hallmarks of … Continue reading →